Tiffany D. Jackson wins 2025 Edwards Award

PHOENIX — Tiffany D. Jackson is the recipient of the 2025 Margaret A. Edwards Award, honoring her significant and lasting contribution to writing for teens for “Allegedly,” “The Awakening of Malcolm X” (co-written with Ilyasah Shabazz), “Grown,” “Let Me Hear a Rhyme,” “The Long Walk” (a short story from the collaborative novel “Blackout”), “Monday’s Not Coming,” and “White Smoke.”

The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), announced the award today during the ALA’s LibLearnX: The Library Learning Experience held January 24 – 27 in Phoenix.   

Tiffany D. Jackson’s writing is emotional, authentic and relatable. Her narratives often blend gripping mysteries with powerful social commentary. In “Grown” a girl becomes entangled with a predatory superstar who is found dead. “White Smoke” modernizes the haunted house story through the lens of gentrification and mental illness. In “Allegedly” a teen struggles to reclaim her life while uncovering the truth about a crime.

Jackson’s books shed light on underrepresented voices, making her characters memorable. In “Let Me Hear a Rhyme,” teens honor their deceased friend by turning him into a rap sensation. In “Monday’s Not Coming,” a young girl goes missing and only her best friend notices. “The Awakening of Malcolm X,” delves into Malcolm X's transformative years in prison. “The Long Walk,” is a short story that looks at young love as two teens confront their unresolved feelings on a walk.

“Tiffany D. Jackson’s writing is broad in scope, subject and character. She can weave together genres, intricate plots and real-world issues to create an entertaining and commanding read. Her books resonate deeply with teens and will continue to do so for years to come,” said Edwards Committee Chair Rachel Adams.

Tiffany D. Jackson will be honored in June and presented with a citation and cash prize of $2,000. The award is sponsored by School Library Journal.

The award is named in honor of the late Margaret A. Edwards, a pioneer in providing library services to young adults. Through her work at Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore, Edwards demonstrated that only through literature would young adults move beyond themselves into a larger world.

Members of the 2025 Edwards Committee are Chair Rachel Adams, King County Library System, Issaquah, Washington; Amanda Hunt, Oak Run Middle School, New Braunfels, Texas; Lily Mayfield, Thomas Ford Memorial Library, Western Springs, Illinois; Melissa Palmer, Greenville High School, Greenville, New York; Karen L. Scott, University of Alabama SLIS, Tuscaloosa, Alabama; Crystal Chen, Facing History & Ourselves, Brooklyn, New York.

About the American Library Association

The American Library Association (ALA) is the only non-partisan, nonprofit organization dedicated entirely to America's libraries and library professionals. For almost 150 years, ALA has provided resources to inspire library and information professionals to transform their communities through essential programs and services. The ALA serves academic, public, school, government, and special libraries, advocating for the profession and the library's role in enhancing learning and ensuring access to information for all. For more information, visit www.ala.org

About the Young Adult Library Services Association

The mission of the YALSA is to support library staff in alleviating the challenges teens face, and in putting all teens ‒ especially those with the greatest needs ‒ on the path to successful and fulfilling lives. For more information about YALSA or to access national guidelines and other resources go to www.ala.org/yalsa or contact the YALSA office at e-mail: yalsa@ala.org.

For information on the Margaret A. Edwards Award and other ALA Youth Media Awards, please visit www.ala.org/yma.

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